Ultra rich moisturizers from the affordable to the ‘That’s ok, I think I can rock flaky’

Last night, my friend Aia asked me what moisturizer to use for her post-winter vacation skin, made in Osaka. I told her I have oily skin so I’ve never had any flaking, which also means I have a lot of unused products for her to try. At the moment, I’m still using Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense Cream at night. It’s doing pretty well, but I have to do some hardcore peel-off masking because it speeds up cell turnover (you know it’s time to exfoliate when your skin looks dull — mine turns a ghastly gray — and feels rough because of clogging). Go-to peel-off masks include Origins GinZing Peel-Off Mask, which I like using twice in a row to get the full effect of that glow it claims to render skin with, and my favorite drugstore buy (P199!) iWhite, which really sticks to the skin and takes all the gunk out. It’s pretty heavy duty, so use it at night (not before going out!).

So back to my friend. This was our conversation:

I made her a care package that included the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream and a packet (P199!) of the Origins moisturizing mask. Here are other recommendations:

SUPER EXPENSIVE

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisturizing Balm. Bobbi Brown Extra is so precious. It also feels precious, but doesn’t do our precious bank accounts any good. I’d say it’s a better investment for skin that’s always in cold weather. I’ve tried it — it’s really thick and really rich, since it’s a balm. Best to use at night.

MID-RANGE

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream and Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask. Ultra Facial Cream is everything comforting in a jar. The texture is just right, not to rich, not to fluid. And it smells like puto (sweet rice cake). Calasiao, to be exact. LOL. Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask is too rich for me, but those with dryer skin love it. I have a friend who uses it every day and she says it makes her skin glow. Me? It makes me breakout in millions of milia. To each her own.

AFFORDABLE

Olay White Radiance Brightening Night Cream. Growing up, I always saw a bottle (it was a liquid back then) of Olay on my lola’s beauty drawer. Up to now, at 85, she still has the creamiest complexion. But when I tried it, it made me breakout (then again everything makes me break out. Sad). It took me a while to try this product because of that trauma. But trust me, it’s good. So good. I use it as a sleep mask. Lay it on super thick, literally, and it lightens dark spots, acne scars, any discoloration. It’s also very hydrating. And unlike most Olay products, it doesn’t have a strong scent. It also almost smells like puto.

A FUNNY STORY

LA MER BAUME DE LA MER LIP BALM

We all know that the only real remedy for chapped lips is DRINKING ENOUGH WATER. When I forget, that’s when I use lip balm. Before it was EOS, but I stopped because a friend scared me and told me it turns lips gray (what the hell, right?). So now I just include the lip area when applying moisturizer and it’s been sort of working. On really chapped days, I do a lip mask with La Mer Lip Balm.

When I first got the jar, I honestly thought it was an eye balm. So I used it as an eye product for two months. One random day I flipped the tub and saw LIP BALM emblazoned on the bottom. So yeah. I always wondered why La Mer would mentholate an eye product…. now I know.